While he's away
by roaming-reality
Summary: For years now, Percy was one of the only constant things in my life, and now... He probably doesn't even know my name. It's hard."


**A/N; So this is my first of a long one shot collection. Stories about random parts of Annabeth's life without Percy. I'm going to try to hit around 20. R Please. Psh, No.**

Piper McLean had never seen a purple fire before. She'd seen orange, red...but never purple. But here she stands, watching the nightly Camp Half-Blood bon fire lazily roll off enormous violet flames. She watched as the flames tumbled atop each other curling to find more air to heighten them, then sparking out to a foggy lavender smoke.  
>The fire reflected the campers around it, the hectic energy absorbed and mirrored in the lightly hued flames.<p>

Jason sat next to her. He laughed as he tried to keep up with the song. Leo sat with Nyssa talking about...things Hephaestus kids talk about. She watched as he moved his hands, trying to imitate gears and machinery.

"Travis Stoll, I swear, give me my bracelet back or I'll kill you!"

The angry voice came suddenly and Piper turned to see the sudden commotion. Drew was standing on the other side of the fire pit from her, near the picnic tables. Her hands were clenched in tight fists as she seethed at the son of Hermes, who was running a silver chain through his fingers.

"Hmm? What was that, Drew?" Travis asked nonchalantly slowly meeting his eyes to the enraged daughter of Aphrodite. "Sorry, didn't catch that."

Drew walked closer to Travis, slowly drawing her words out with each step.

"I said, Give me my bracelet back, or I'll kill you."

"Oh this old thing?" Travis held the bracelet up and slowly swung it back and forth. A smirk working its way across his face. "I just...found it. It's yours?"

Drew rolled her pink-lined brown eyes. "Stop playing dumb and give it back."

Travis frowned an knit his dark eyebrows together. "Awh, well that's not very nice, is it?" He touched his free hand to his heart and shook his head. "I'm hurt."

Piper struggled to contain a laugh, even though that was a half-sister, Drew definitely wasn't the nicest camper here. Others watched the argument, some ignored it, something brought Piper to think this was the first time this had happened.

Drew stomped her foot and ran to Travis, attempting to grab the ever so precious silver bracelet. Travis quickly pulled the chain to side, the charms hummed as they hit each other.

"Come on, Drew," Travis sighed, looking the bracelet, "How many of these do you need? Honestly, if I tossed this old thing into the fire, you'd forget about it in a week."

There was a brief blankness on the Son of Hermes face before a evil smile crept across Travis's face. He looked at the fire, then at the bracelet.

Drew's eyes widened. She shook her head. "Oh no! You are not-"

She was cut off with Travis losing attention in her words and running to the fire.

Travis dropped the chain into the now lavender fire, the bracelet's metal began to drip and small puffs of smoke rose from the burning.

She quickly followed, but it was too late, the bracelet was already dripping shiny silver drops.

"Travis-!"

"Alright, Alright already!" a new voice came into the commotion. Piper looked to its owner, to see a blonde daughter of Athena rising from her seat. She had been quieter most of the time, chatting with other campers or working on blueprints she had. She wore jean shorts and a blue hoodie-that seemed too large-over her orange Camp Half-Blood tee-shirt. Her hair was let down, letting very long blonde curls flow down her back, even passing the small of her back. She stormy grey eyes, which were happy and tired now hinted a her annoyance. She bumped the blunt of her knife as she walked over to the two.

"Annabeth he-"

"Stop," she looked down into the fire at the now melted strip of silver. "Drew, it's just one bracelet. Don't worry. You can get more over the school year. Travis...please stop doing.." she pointed at the melting silver, "that."

Piper felt bad for Annabeth, when Chiron wasn't around she was more or less in charge, in a 'you just sort of know' way. Before, Piper had heard Annabeth had shared the leadership with Percy Jackson. She's also heard Annabeth was a lot happier back then. As if she didn't have enough to deal with right now, she had campers fighting over stupid things. Piper didn't get how she could deal with these so calmly.

Drew nodded and began to walk away, she turned and looked at Travis. "I'm telling Chiron," she snapped. "You'll be on kitchen duty for a month."

Travis sighed and shrugged. "I wouldn't except less."

"Drew," Annabeth stopped the tall Asian girl. "Don't tell Chiron about this. He has enough to deal with as it is. Camp has enough to deal with. You coming to him about a dumb bracelet is just going to annoy him."

Drew cringed her nose and placed a hand on her hip. "Annabeth, you can't tell me what to do. Just because Percy is gone, and you two were all 'big news' around here, that doesn't put you in charge. We all know he was sort of in charge around here, how much we liked it or not. You don't get to take his place."

Piper became angry at Drew's words. She had no right to say that to Annabeth. Piper quietly gasped when she felt an hot ash grace her leg. When she looked at the fire she noticed the nice, lavender color was becoming engulfed with bright crimson flames.

"Be quiet, princess," a deep-voiced camper told Drew from the somewhere in the group of half-bloods.

"Yeah," another joined, from the Athena cabin section. "Annabeth did more for the war than you. Were you even here then? She deserves to be in charge!"

Murmurs rippled across the group. Agreement.

Annabeth closed her quicksilver eyes. She took a breath and looked back at Drew. "Drew, neither Percy nor I have ever been in charge of camp outside the war," she paused as she struggled to find her words. "Even if he is gone...I am still a counselor, Camp Half-Blood is still a pretty free place," she swept her hand towards the crowd. "We can all speak up. You know that."

A silence spread across the once loud space. No one knew who was going to react to what.

Jason stood up and walked next to Annabeth. "I-uh-it's 10, time to call it a night," he told the camp, but kept his eyes on Annabeth.

Annabeth looked up at Jason and slightly nodded. The gesture held a quiet thank you from the daughter of Athena.

"Come on, Athena cabin.  
>Counselors, get your cabin organized," Annabeth told the crowd.<p>

Groans and mumbles poked in response, but everyone followed the order. Piper wondered how Drew could think Annabeth didn't have any authority when she could get the whole to listen to her like that.

A blonde boy-Malcolm-approached Annabeth. He leaned down and mumbled something in her ear. Pointing toward the Athena cabin and himself.

Annabeth, who's back was turned to Piper nodded and she hugged her half-brother. Annabeth walked away from the group grabbing the paper she brought and her knife. As the campers cleared she slipped a blue denim ball cap out of her pocket. Piper realized it was the Yankees' hat Athena had given to Annabeth. Style and spirit for her home team...oh and invisibility too.

When she put the hat on, Piper watched the slim figure glimmer to nothingness. She was started to walk towards Annabeth, to see where she went.

"Piper?"

Piper turned to see Lacey standing next to Piper, looking up at her with confusion in her brown eyes. Most of the campers had cleared out, Both Leo and Jason were gone, Travis and the Hermes cabin were almost to their cabin. All that stood was impatient Aphrodite cabin.

"Hurry up, Dumpster queen," Drew snapped, flicking at the ring on her finger with her thumb.

Piper nodded and walked to the head the the line. Lacey scurried next to her. Piper smiled, from all the girls in the Aphrodite cabin, Lacey was easily the nicest.

"Come on guys," Piper said and made her way towards the light pink Aphrodite cabin. The thick pink flame still flickered in front of the door, casting a magenta shadow across the door. The Barbie doll dream house was being to look like home to Piper.

Piper looked at the Big House. The massive building sit shadowed and darkened. Casting an impression of importance across camp. Though when she looked closer, Piper noticed a small candle light burning at the door.

Shouts and calls could be heard as everyone prepared to sleep. Even the Hera an Artemis cabin's ceremonial light was on, all the cabins still had lights looming in them. All still bustling around. Well, all expect for one.

Piper sighed as opened the door to her cabin. The Poseidon  
>cabin seemed dark and hollow. The low coral walls hidden way behind the hill.<p>

Wooden boards creaked as the Aphrodite children came to their home.

"Everyone get ready for bed!" Piper shouted over the voices. "I'll..." she trailed off looking at the beach outside her window.

She looked at her siblings then back at the beach.

"Be right back," she whispered to herself, before slipping out the door.

She ran down to the beach, thinking it was the only place Annabeth would have gone. When she reached the cold, sandy shore she felt a chill run through her body. Piper scanned the beach for a blonde-haired figure or fading footprints.

Then Piper saw her, the daughter of Athena was sitting at the shore, foamy water circled around her. She hugged her legs close her blue shelves keeping her warm, with her head resting on her knees. The girl didn't move, she wasn't crying, she was just sitting, admiring the current.

"Hey," Piper spoke up, walking closer to Annabeth.

She watched Annabeth's shoulders tense; she grabbed her knife and turned to the voice. Piper smiled and waved nervously.

Annabeth gave a small smile and let her shoulders relax and set her knife down.

"Oh, hey, Piper," Annabeth greeted, looking up at the daughter of Aphrodite. Tousled blonde curls danced in front of her cheeks and the moon induced shadow hid her face.

Piper walked over to Annabeth ad sat down next to her. For a long while both girls stayed silent. The sea's hum replacing their words.

"Annabeth," Piper looked I've over her. "I'm sorry."

Annabeth smiled and shrugged. "Don't be, Drew will be Drew, you just have to learn to-"

No, I mean..." Piper stopped. In some ways, she had a lot to apologize to Annabeth for. For being at The Grand Canyon instead of Percy. For being part of the prophecy that took him away. For giving Annabeth the worry Percy had found another girl just Jason had found her. "For everything."

Annabeth gave Piper a sad smile and Piper was pretty sure she'd gotten her point across.

"So..." Piper looked at the water tickling her toes. "Did you and Percy come here a lot?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Sometimes, on really hot days, but never at night like this, Percy and I, Percy especially, got in a lot of...trouble around here. Getting caught here at night wasn't something we needed."

Piper looked at Annabeth quizzically. "You've got in trouble? I mean, It's just. You just seem-"

Annabeth laughed. "No, no I get it. But yeah, most-well-all of it started when Percy came around. When he was that scrawny little guy Chiron threw on me, half-dead..." Annabeth paused; she seemed to be lost in thought. She drew her eyebrows together and pursed her lips. "Piper? Do you even know what Percy looks like?"

Piper thought for a second. Other than that picture, Piper had never seen Percy...she guessed Leo and Jason had no idea what he looks like. "Sort of," Piper decided on. "I've seen a picture of him, you and him actually. But black hair, green eyes, really tall and tan?"

Annabeth nodded. "Yep, that's Seaweed Brain," she said quietly.

"He pretty good-looking," Piper admitted, because he was. That was even an understatement, He looked like he had stepped out of 'Rugged Model's Monthly'. He was tall, tan and muscular. His shaggy black hair half hid his brightly lit green-blue eyes. His crooked smiled softened his features. Piper saw why Annabeth was worried with him being gone with a memory of her.

"You know, I could find myself agreeing with that," Annabeth teased, laughing silently.

"I would hope," Piper replied playing on with the joke. "Oh, but Jason and Leo have never seen him."

Annabeth sighed. "Well I'll have to show then him then, we don't want to get to the Roman Camp and have everyone fighting him. It's crazy, you three are working your butts off for him and you barely know what he looks like. I guess he has been here so long, everyone just figured that everyone knew the 'Hero of Olympus'," Annabeth laughed dryly at his proclaimed title. Piper knew that to the campers he was the Hero of Camp, Hero of Olympus, but she had a feeling to Annabeth, he was just Percy Jackson.

"Crap."

Piper looked over to see what annoyed Annabeth. She saw her trying to roll back up the now unraveled blueprints.

"Sketches for Olympus?" Piper asked, knowing Annabeth architectural job.

"No," Annabeth said half-mindedly, tying back up the last blueprint, when she was done her looked at Piper. "Designs for the Argo II."

Piper nodded. Even though she played such a big part in it, the flying boat rarely entered Piper's mind. It was just the boat, the more important thing was getting there. But to Annabeth, this wasn't just a boat. It was the key element to getting to Percy again, this was the most important thing to her right now.

"You put a lot of time into that boat, Annabeth," Piper told the daughter of Athena.

Annabeth shrugged. "I have to. It's the only way to get to Percy," Annabeth sighed. "Gives me something to do. Helps me not notice I don't have him with me."

"You worry about him a lot, don't you?" Piper asked softly.

Annabeth nodded, but she made no eye contact with Piper, she stared at the cold sand under her. "Yeah sometimes," she finally said. "It's just...ever since I was twelve, he was always just there. He was there when I hated him, he was there when I needed him most, he was there when other weren't, he was there when we were best friends, he was always there to save me, to be there for me. For years now, Percy was one of the only constant things in my life, and now... He probably doesn't even know my name. It's hard," Annabeth explained quietly, she looked at Piper, small tears in her eyes. "But I know he's okay, Percy's strong, he's smart...when he wants to be. I know he's safe in a way I can't explain."

Piper nodded and smiled. "Everyone says you two did  
>everything together," Piper paused to see Annabeth reaction, a small smile forming on her tanned face.<p>

"More by force but...yeah. We went together for three for our four quests. Some had to help him."

Piper's eyebrows scrunched together. "Three?"

Annabeth's grey eyes darkened. She pursed her lips until they paled. "I-I was kidnapped by Luke...I mean Kronos."

Piper looked down. She felt bad for asking about Luke, the traitor of camp. The one who joined Kronos and the Titans. The one who took Annabeth in when she was seven.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth-"

Annabeth shook her head. "No, it's fine, you should know anyways. Three years ago, when Thaila, Grover, Percy and I were trying to save two demi-gods, we fought a Manicore. To save everyone, I jumped on the Manicore's back. The Manicore-well-jumped off a cliff. I was taken to Mount Tam and tricked into holding up the sky. Percy, Thaila, Grover and a Hunter came to rescue me, and Lady Artemis, who had been kidnapped as well. When they came, Artemis was took my spot on holding up the sky. Percy took hers," Annabeth held out a gray streak of hair and twirled in around her fingers. "I have a reminder of it every day. It's a reminder of him every day."

Annabeth adjusted her blue sweatshirt. When she did, the words printed on the back became visible; 'GOODE HIGH'.

"Annabeth?" Piper started examining the words on her back. "You go to Goode High School? Where is that?"

Annabeth shook her head. "Percy did-does-, I mean. It's his first school to go more than one year. It's in New York."

Piper nodded in understanding. "He gave it to you?"

Annabeth shook her head again, sadder now. "No. I took it from his cabin a few months after he went missing. I-I don't know, I needed something of his to stay with me."

It was Annabeth's substitute protection. When she couldn't have Percy's arm around her waist, she had the hoodie to replace it.

"Do you think he's doing well there?" Piper asked. "The Roman Camp, I mean."

Annabeth thought for a moment then looked at Piper. "Knowing him, he's probably doing even better than Jason. Or he's gotten himself kicked out," Annabeth smiled softly. "The first one most likely though, Percy has a way of having people want to follow him. It's hard to explain, you would just have to meet him."

"I hope that the camps don't combine after all this is over," Piper told Annabeth. It was the truth. Piper knew it was likely to happen, but still she wanted Camp Half-Blood to be Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter the same. Well, unless Jason choose his home...

"Same here," Annabeth's voice rang in, interrupting Piper's thoughts. "It's been itself so long, I want to keep it that way."

"Everything is pretty uprooted, huh?"

Annabeth nodded in agreement. "I have a feeling nothing will be the same after this. Part of me is okay with that though, as long as I have my friends and the guy I love, I'll be able to get through it."

Piper smiled. "I got to go, Annabeth," she said remembering she had a cabin to look after. "You coming?"

Annabeth shook her head no. "I'll be fine," she replied. "I like being here; I'm sort of with him. But thanks for coming down here Piper. I needed someone to talk to. Good night."

Piper nodded and stood up. She left Annabeth on the beach and walked to her cabin. When she pasted the Poseidon cabin, it suddenly didn't seem so empty anymore.

She slowly opened her cabin door and slipped in.

"Piper?" One of her siblings lazily mumbled.

"Shh," Piper put her finger to her lips.

There was no response and Piper went to bed, thinking about Annabeth's words.

'As long as I have my friends and the guy I love, I'll be able to get through it.'

The girl's voice whispered in Piper mind before flowing out into the crisp night air.

Piper was glad she talked to Annabeth that night.


End file.
